Ford sets record with more than 103 safety recalls in 2025, new high

Ford Motor Co. issued the most safety recalls of any automaker in 2025, with more than 103 warnings, according to a report from Kelley Blue Book.

With only a third of the year left, Ford has already surpassed its previous annual record of 77 recalls, according to the report.

If a vehicle does not meet federal motor vehicle safety standards due to a safety-related defect, the manufacturer must notify consumers of the problem. These recalls are intended to address safety issues before they cause harm.

Manufacturers typically initiate recalls to avoid potential fines and driver safety issues. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal motor vehicle regulator that is part of the Department of Transportation, can also issue vehicle recalls based on publicly submitted cases of potential safety concerns.

Ford recalls approximately 625,000 vehicles due to seatbelt and camera display problems

Brian Moody, editor-in-chief of AutoTrader, told FOX Business that the recall is not a big deal because the system is working. Most current recalls are voluntary, and automakers are rarely forced by law or the government to do so, he said.

“But when an automaker has a record number of recalls, it’s cause for concern. As increasingly complex cars become increasingly ‘normal’, Ford is stumbling on the quality front.”

Moody also pointed to an older Kelley Blue Book report showing Ford led the industry in recalls in 2022 and 2023. The following year, the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration slapped Ford with a $165 million civil penalty, the second-largest civil penalty in NHTSA history.

Ford was fined after an NHTSA investigation found that the company failed to timely recall vehicles equipped with defective rearview cameras and failed to provide accurate and complete recall information as required by the National Transportation and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

A customer arrives at a Ford dealership on Friday, July 22, 2022, in Colma, California. (Getty Images/Getty Images)

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Ford told FOX Business that its commitment to vehicle quality and customer safety is “of paramount importance.”

“The number of recalled vehicles reflects our focused strategy to quickly find and fix hardware and software issues and remain committed to protecting our customers,” the company said.

The company said it has more than doubled its team of safety and technology experts in the past two years.

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“We can and do find problems that existed in early models, including unreported ones,” the company said in a statement. “We will never compromise our commitment to all our customers, not just those buying new cars.”

The Kentucky Truck Plant’s advanced manufacturing techniques and tools help Ford improve the skills of its employees and deliver quality Lincoln Navigators and Ford Expeditions to customers more quickly. (Ford/Fox News)

The company went on to say it believes “this approach will lead to systemic, lasting positive change” and help Ford “reach world-class levels of quality, safety and customer satisfaction.”

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Moody acknowledged that Ford’s more rigorous testing system helps explain the increase, but “it’s not the whole story.”

“There’s no way a company like Ford is going to do another recall,” he said. “Based on the bad publicity alone, they’d decide that’s not a reasonable solution.”